Belfast driving instructor reveals what he'd change for learners

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A driving instructor has outlined what he believes should be changed for learner drivers.

Two of the more common debates include the speed limit of L and R drivers and the idea of adding motorway driving to the driving test.

Damian Monaghan worked as a driving instructor for over a decade in Belfast and has recently relocated to Co Fermanagh with his DFM School of Motoring.

On motorway driving, Damian said it was difficult given the location of some test centres.

He said: “There are two ways of looking at it. I think, yes, it would be good - because obviously it’s safer for a learner to be on a motorway with a driving instructor than a load of mates aged 17 for the first ever time.

“But the difficulty in Northern Ireland is that not every test centre could do that. There are only a couple of motorways in Northern Ireland.

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“If you were doing your test in the likes of Enniskillen for example, there’s no motorway nearby.”

The second, the speed limit, should be removed.

Damian added: “Another thing I’d look at would be the 45mph restriction.

“It’s quite dangerous to be driving at 45mph on the motorway, especially when you’re merging onto the motorway. When you’re trying to get on through a slip road as an R driver there might be lorries come down there at 50, 60, 70mph.

“If there are vehicles coming down that lane then it can be very difficult.

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